The Independent Generation: An Argument Regarding Gender Expectations In Little Women

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Christina Mosquera
Mrs.Shumpert
English 3 Honors
10 January 2023

The Independent Generation: An Argument Regarding the Gender Expectations in Little Women
In the novel The Power, Naomi Alderman says the quote, “Gender is a shell game. What is a man? Whatever a woman isn't. What is a woman? Whatever a man is not. Tap on it and it's hollow. Look under the shells: it's not there” (Alderman). She is reflecting on the fact that society does not allow women and men the same opportunities. In the book Little Women, the characters do not follow a certain guideline assigned to their gender and in doing so are more gleeful than ever. It is a book set in the time of the 1800s when men and women were looked at very differently. Where men could not be …show more content…

Though it would be more favorable if they did the work together. In Little women, the book describes, “It was not all paradise by any means, but everyone was better for the division of labor system; the children throve under the parental rule, for accurate, John brought order and obedience into Babydom, while Meg recovered her spirits..” (Alcott 422). John was always away at work and Meg was always doing house chores, which was causing their marriage to collapse. To resolve their problem they pondered to work together which is something that could not be established if they surrendered to their ‘gender roles’. The passage, Gender Expectations Hurt Us All endorses the proposition that when men contribute around the house it is favorable to the parenting of the children. The article suggests, “Many older men wish they'd been more involved with their kids, but times are changing and everyone is set to benefit….gender expectations and stereotypes hurt everyone. Not just women" (Gender Expectations Hurt Us All). If a household was nurtured with not just one but two parents to focus on the children it would automatically be enhanced. The journalist informed that when she was qualmish her spouse was prepared to care for her children, something the foundations of our society would not have